After a lethargic performance in the Champions League last Wednesday, Manchester City turn their attention to securing a top four spot in the Premier League when they host Arsenal on Sunday.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men saw their European dreams killed by Real Madrid 1-0 on aggregate and they must now concentrate on keeping their spot in Europe’s elite competition for next season with Manchester United and West Ham also in the race.

On the other hand, it has been another season of mediocrity at Arsenal but they are only a win away from securing Champions League qualification for the 19^th consecutive time, a remarkable achievement given that last year’s Champions, Chelsea, are not going to be involved in next year’s competition.

The Gunners come into this game off the back of a narrow 1-0 win at home to Norwich which put them three points ahead of their hosts who lost to Southampton last weekend.

Arsene Wenger’s men have a very good recent record against the Citizens having gone four games unbeaten against Pellegrini’s side (W2 D2).

Team news

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany will be sidelined for this fixture after suffering a groin injury at Real Madrid on Wednesday. Other players out for City include: David Silva (hamstring), Pablo Zabaleta (calf), and Aleksandar Kolarov (knock).

For the visitors, Per Metersacker and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain are ruled out of this match but Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky, and Santi Carzola are available for selection.

Predicted lineups

After Sunday’s thrilling 1-1 draw between Manchester United and Leicester City, the race to determine who will win the title comes down, at least for the time being, to the Chelsea-Spurs game. A win for Spurs and they’re still in the race. But a draw or a defeat will hand Leicester the Premier League title.

So when was the last time Spurs beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the league? It was 26 years ago — in 1990 — when Gary Lineker scored for the Lilywhites.

Chelsea have nothing to play for but many of their fans and a few players have been vocal about their unwillingness to see Spurs win the title, so they will definitely try to kill off their rivals’ title chances.

The Blues bounced back from their 3-0 trashing at the hands of Manchester City a fortnight ago with a 4-1 win against Bournemouth last weekend, which moved them up to ninth on the table with 47 points.

Tottenham only managed a 1-1 draw at West Brom last Monday but only a win will do for them here if they are to sustain their title push.

Team news

For Chelsea, both John Terry (calf) and Gary Cahill (illness) are unlikely to feature so we can expect either John Obi Mikel or Matt Miazga to partner Branislav Ivanovic at the heart of the defense.

Thibaut Courtois could return in goal in place of Asmir Begovic but Guus Hiddink is unlikely to make any further changes from the side that started at the Vitality Stadium last weekend.

For the visitors, Dele Alli is suspended for the rest of the season after punching Claudio Yacob in the last match which could see Heung-Min Son back in the starting XI. Nabil Bentaleb (knee) is the only other absentee for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

Predicted lineups

The biggest game of the season features Leicester City and Manchester United at the Theater of Dreams on Sunday, with the Foxes knowing that a win would crown them Champions of the Premier League for the first time ever.

In the most exciting Premier League season in recent memory, the Foxes have been the most outstanding team and are on the verge of something truly remarkable.

However, Manchester United will hope to spoil the party for Claudio Ranieri’s men as they have ambitions of stealing a Champions League qualification berth.

Louis van Gaal’s side were victorious against Everton in their FA Cup semi-final last week and are desperate to close the gap on Manchester City and Arsenal as the top four battle enters its final stage.

The Red Devils have Adnan Januzaj (hamstring), Bastian Schweinstiger (knee) and Will Keane (groin) on their injury list while Luke Shaw (broken leg) remains a long-term absentee.

Leicester, on the other hand, are coming into this match off the back of a comprehensive 4-0 win at home to Swansea which should put them in the right mood for this game.

Unfortunately for the Foxes, they will be without Jamie Vardy once more after his suspension was extended while Leonardo Ulloa is doubtful after sustaining a minor back injury last weekend.

KEY STAT: Leicester City have now won 22 league games this season – their highest ever tally in the English top-flight.

Predicted ;ineups

Chelsea host Manchester City on Saturday (12:30pm ET kickoff on NBC) with both teams gunning for a positive result for very different reasons.

A win for the visitors puts more distance between themselves and Manchester United in the race for the top four and UEFA Champions League qualification. After knocking PSG out of the Champions League on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals for the first time, Manuel Pellegrini’s team are in good spirits, and should be motivated for this one.

Chelsea, on the other hand, saw their 15-game unbeaten run halted last week at Swansea. And as a result, they remain in 10th place in the Premier League. European qualification is still a mathematical possibility but anything other than a win here will surely put those hopes to rest.

Hiddink’s team have been poor in recent games against Manchester City with two draws and a defeat but they do have a good home record against City with three wins and two draws in the last five meetings.

Team news

For the hosts, Eden Hazard, John Terry, Loic Remy, Kurt Zouma and Nemanja Matic are out of this game while Gary Cahill and Willian are doubtful.

Diego Costa has served his suspension and should be available for this one. Thibaut Courtois is also expected back in the lineup after sitting out of the last game at Swansea.

Manchester City have no new injury worries ahead of this game, so a strong lineup is expected. Raheem Sterling is unlikely to feature as he continues his recovery from a groin problem while Vincent Kompany is not yet match fit and unlikely to play from the start.

Predicted lineups

Atletico Madrid welcome FC Barcelona to the Estadio Vicente Calderon for this deciding leg that will determine who goes on to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Barcelona hold a slight advantage after Luis Suarez’s brace canceled out Fernando Torres’ opener in a game that was rife with controversial refereeing.

The Catalans are not in the best of form however after losing back to back games in the La Liga, first at home to Real Madrid and then away to Real Sociedad, which blew the title race wide open again with Atletico only three points behind Barca.

Diego Simeone’s men, on the other hand, are coming into this game off the back of a 3-1 win against Espanyol last Saturday with Torres scoring one and assisting another to cap off a fine display.

Unfortunately, Torres will not be available for this game after he was red-carded in the first leg, which means the burden for goals will rest mostly on the shoulders of Antoine Griezmann.

SEE MORE: Antoine Griezmann should be considered among the world’s best players

The other Atletico players that will not play a part in this match due to injury include Jose Gimenez, Oliver Torres, and Stefan Savic.

Barcelona have had a great season to this point and they are still in contention for the treble but the last few weeks have been tough for them and they have regressed a bit.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Champions League games on US TV and live streaming

They only need a draw to qualify to the semi-finals but only a win will do for the hosts. Atletico’s impressive defensive record means they can defend an early 1-0 advantage to the last minute so Barca need to be weary of that.

Luis Enrique is expected to stick to the same starting XI that began the first leg at the Camp Nou. Jeremy Mathieu, Alex Vidal and Sandro Ramirez are unavailable due to injury.

Predicted lineups

Manchester City have the advantage coming into this match after managing a 2-2 draw at the Parc des Princes last week.

The Citizens went ahead via Kevin De Bruyne’s goal in the 38th minute but Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalized three minutes later. Adrien Rabiot then put the hosts 2-1 up but City drew level soon after with Fernandinho the scorer.

The result means that any type of win or a goalless or 1-1 draw will be enough to see Manuel Pellegrini’s men to the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

SEE MORE: PSG’s Angel di Maria out to banish Manchester ghosts

Both sides had the ideal preparation for this game with City claiming a 2-1 win at home to West Brom while the French champions rested a number of key players in their 2-0 win over Guingamp.

Laurent Blanc’s side need to win or secure a score draw from 3-3 and above to secure outright qualification to the semis. A 2-2 draw after 90 minutes will take the game to extra time.

Team news

Vincent Kompany could be in the mix for an appearance on Tuesday after recovering from a calf problem. David Silva was rested at the weekend but he is expected back in the starting XI for this one. Raheem Sterling remains out injured due to a groin problem.

PSG rested most of their key players ahead of this tie including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edison Cavani, Angel Di Maria and Thiago Silva but they are all expected to start the game.

Meanwhile, Blaise Matuidi and David Luiz are suspended for this game after picking up yellow cards in the first leg.

Predicted lineups

Both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are bidding to reach the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever after unsuccessful attempts in the recent past.

For the French champions, this is their fourth successive quarter final appearance in the Champions league but they were eliminated on the three previous occasions by Barcelona (twice) and Chelsea.

Manchester City, on the other hand, are only reaching this stage of the competition for the first time in their history after two consecutive round-of-16 eliminations at the hands of FC Barcelona.

DON’T MISS: Manchester City aiming to banish England’s woes in Europe

Both sides enjoyed dominant victories in the previous rounds with PSG beating Chelsea home and away to reach this stage while City won against Dynamo Kiev 3-1 on aggregate.

PSG have already won the French League so they have the luxury of resting their key players before any major European fixture which may well prove decisive in this tie.

SEE MORE: Schedule of UEFA Champions League games on US TV and live streaming

In contrast, the Citizens have had a disastrous league campaign and are currently battling for fourth spot alongside Manchester United and West Ham.

The Capital One Cup triumph in early February is the only positive for them this season so far so they will be keen on getting to the later stages in the Champions League and perhaps win the trophy to give their outgoing manager, Manuel Pellegrini, the perfect sending off.

Team news

PSG boss Laurent Blanc will be hoping to field the same starting XI that bullied Chelsea to submission at Stamford Bridge but Blaise Matuidi is a doubt and is subject to a late fitness test to ascertain his availability. Marco Veratti and Javier Pastore remain out injured while Serge Aurier is still suspended by the PSG board.

Manuel Pellegrini is expected to stick to the same starting XI that blew Bournemouth apart on Saturday. Vincent Kompany and Raheem Sterling will play no part in this game due to injury while Wily Caballero will replace the injured Joe Hart in goal.

Predicted lineups

Current UEFA Champions League holders Barcelona will hope to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat in the El Clasico when they host Atletico Madrid the in first leg of their Champions League quarter-final encounter.

The Blaugrana were outwitted tactically by Real Madrid in that game but their overall record is still impressive with 32 wins and seven draws in their previous 39 outings before Cristiano Ronaldo’s winner put an end to that astonishing run.

They must now turn their attention to this fixture on Tuesday which happens to be a repeat of the 2013/14 quarter-finals where they were knocked out by Atletico.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Champions League games on US TV and live streaming

Diego Simeone’s men are coming into this match off the back of a 5-1 win over Real Betis, which should put them in a good mood ahead of this crucial first leg tie.

They only managed to beat PSV on penalties in the last round after squandering several chances to score but they simply have to make the most of their opportunities against Barcelona if they hope to get anything of of this game.

KEY STAT: Atletico Madrid are winless in the last six meetings between the sides with no draws and six defeats.

Team news

Barcelona will likely stick to their regular starting XI despite the defeat to Real Madrid last weekend. Marc-Andre ter Stegen will return in goal but the remainder of the side will likely be unchanged for this fixture.

Atletico Madrid have a host of injury problems especially defensively as Diego Godin, Stefan Savic and Jose Gimenez have been ruled out of this match. Yannick Carrasco is also on the sidelines with an ankle problem while Saul Nigez remains doubtful after picking up an injury against Betis.

Predicted lineups

Manchester United host Everton on Sunday (at 11am ET) with the Red Devils looking to build on their 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the last game before the international break.

Louis Van Gaal’s men are just four points off the Champions League places and only a win will do if they are to keep up with their nearby top four challengers City and West Ham United.

Marcus Rashford scored the winner against City two weeks ago and with Wayne Rooney still on the sidelines, he will most likely be United’s target man come kickoff time.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Premier League games on US TV and live streaming

Everton were outclassed by Arsenal in their last league game but they will see a chance to bounce back against an inconsistent United side at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Roberto Martinez’s side have a decent away record this season with only one defeat in their last 14 away league matches; it’s their poor home form that has pushed them down to mid-table mediocrity.

One positive for the Toffees ahead of this game is that Romelu Lukaku is in great form (six goals in his last seven appearances) and with him in the side, they stand a decent chance of getting something out of this match

Team News

Manchester United have a host of players out injured coming into this match. Bastian Schweinsteiger is not expected to play again this season after suffering a knee ligament injury while Rooney (knee) is also expected out for a further two weeks. Phil Jones (ankle), Ashley Young and Ander Herrera (both groin) are all doubtful.

Everton also have a few injury problems with Bryan Oviedo and John Stones also doubtful for this game. Steven Pienaar (knock), Tony Hibbert (knee) and Tyias Browning (knee) remain unavailable due to injury.

Predicted Lineups

Overall, both Manchester sides have not had it good this season in the Premier League. Manchester City were one of the pre-season favorites for the title but they’re now 15 points behind league leaders Leicester City with only nine matches to go.

The Citizens are very much in danger of dropping out of the top four if they lose here, but their recent record against United is healthy so they can at least take confidence from that.

Manchester United have also been terrible all round and now find themselves in sixth place coming into this match. The Red Devils are in danger of missing out of the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, which will be a huge financial blow for the club.

The team suffered further humiliation during the week as they lost to arch rivals Liverpool 3-1 on aggregate to crash out of the Europa League.

Louis van Gaal’s men must now turn their attention to this massive fixture which they desperately need to win to avoid falling too far behind as the race to reach the top four rages on.

KEY STAT: Manchester United have won just once in the last six games against Manchester City in all competitions (D1 L4)

Team news

United skipper Wayne Rooney is still out with a knee injury while Phil Jones and Ashley Young also remain on the sidelines. Ander Herrera is a major doubt for this tie after suffering a groin injury but Juan Mata is available after completing his one-match suspension.

Manchester City also have a few injury problems of their own with Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi out injured. Fabian Delph, Kevin De Bruyne and Samir Nasri are not expected back in the squad until after the international break.

Predicted lineups

Bayern Munich hold a slight advantage coming into this match after they picked up a 2-2 draw at the Juventus Stadium in the first leg.

Pep Guardiola’s men raced to a two goal lead via Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben but Juventus rallied to score two quick-fire goals, which gave them some hope ahead of Wednesday’s decider.

The Bavarians had the ideal preparation for this game by trashing Werder Bremen 5-0 at the weekend with Muller, Thiago Alcantara and Robert Lewandowski amongst the goals to go five points clear ahead of Borussia Dortmund with eight games to go.

Juventus are also in great form with nine wins in the last ten league matches to go three points clear at the top of the table but they are winless in five Champions League ties against Bayern Munich (D2 L3).

To advance to the next round, Juventus will need an outright win or a high-scoring draw from 3-3 and above while Bayern only need a goalless or 1-1 draw to qualify. A 2-2 draw after 90 minutes will send the game into extra time.

Team news

Both sides have most of their key players available so we can expect strong lineups come Wednesday. The visitors have only Martin Caceres out of this match while Bayern Munich are without Holger Badstuber and Javi Martinez. Center-back Jerome Boateng is not expected to make an appearance despite returning to training last week. 

Predicted lineups

Barcelona are the overwhelming favorites to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League after securing a 2-0 away win at the Emirates in the first leg of this fixture three weeks ago.

The Gunners started the game very well and wasted a few opportunities in the first half before a lapse in concentration allowed Barcelona to take the lead via a counter-attacking move finished off by Lionel Messi.

Messi subsequently doubled the lead for his side late on after he was fouled by substitute Mathieu Flamini, which effectively meant the Gunners would have to win by a three goal margin at the Camp Nou to guarantee qualification to the next round.

Barcelona are coming into this match off the back of a 6-0 win against Getafe last weekend, which saw them maintain an eight point gap over second-placed Atletico Madrid with nine games remaining. The Catalans are also unbeaten in 37 games in all competitions, breaking numerous records in the process.

Arsenal on the other hand, lost 2-1 at home against Watford last Sunday to crash out of the FA Cup, which ended their hopes of doing a hat trick of successes in the competition. The Gunners are also eight points behind leaders Leicester City in the title race with only eight games to go.

Arsene Wenger has come under severe criticism from his own supporters in the last few weeks as the clamor for change at the helm continues to gather pace. Now that the FA Cup is gone, only a surprise title win will put the Frenchman back in favor with the fans.

Team news

Luis Suarez should join Messi and Neymar in the Barcelona attack after the Uruguayan was rested at the weekend but Gerald Pique is suspended after picking up a dubious yellow card in the first leg tie at the Emirates.

The visitors are without the services of Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky but Laurent Koscielny may return to replace Gabriel Paulista at center-back while Olivier Giroud leads the Gunner’s offense.

Predicted lineups

Manchester United travel to the Hawthorns on Sunday hoping to secure a third consecutive Premier League victory at West Bromwich Albion.

Pressure has eased on Louis van Gaal after the Red Devils were able to qualify for the next round of the FA Cup and Europa League while league wins against Arsenal and Watford kept their top four hopes alive. Plus, United are now only three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

West Brom fought hard to secure a 2-2 draw against Leicester City last Tuesday which saw them maintain 13th spot in the table, 12 points ahead of the relegation zone.

Manager Tony Pulis has an awful record against Manchester United with only one win and one draw in 13 league games against the visitors, and he will surely want to arrest that here in an incredibly unpredictable season.

Team news

Manchester United are still without the services of 11 players coming into this match including Wayne Rooney (knee), Bastian Schweinsteiger (knee), Marouane Fellaini (hamstring) and Chris Smalling (shoulder).

Marcus Rashford may yet lead the United attack while Anthony Martial, Juan Mata and Memphis Depay provide support just behind the teenager.

West Brom are also without Chris Brunt (ACL), Callum McManaman (ankle) and James Morrison (hamstring) for this game.

Pulis is not expected to make too many changes from the last game so the in-form Salomon Rondon should lead the line once again alongside Saido Berahino in a 4-4-2 setup.

Predicted lineup

Chelsea come into Saturday’s game against Stoke City at Stamford Bridge with one eye on the big midweek Champions League tie against PSG next Wednesday.

Guus Hiddink’s men have been in superb form of late with 19 points in this calendar year, more than any other Premier league side bar Tottenham.

The Blues will want to build on their recent successes with a win against Stoke which would be the ideal preparation for PSG on Wednesday.

Mark Hughes’ men have already beaten Chelsea twice this season in the Capital One Cup and in the first league meeting at the Britannia.

The Potters are also in good form coming into this game after three league wins in a row which sees them in seventh place, three points ahead of their opponents who are 10th.

Team news

John Terry is ruled out of this match so Branislav Ivanovic will partner Gary Cahill at center-back.

John Obi Mikel is expected back in the starting XI after starting from the bench against Norwich while Kenedy may keep his place at left-back ahead of Baba Rahman.

As for the visitors, Ryan Shawcross (back), Phil Bardsley (calf), Glen Johnson (knee) and Charlie Adam (calf) are all ruled out of this match but Bojan Kirkic and Xherdan Shaqiri should be in the starting lineup come kickoff time at the Bridge.

Predicted lineups

Arsenal will be looking to arrest their dreadful run of three consecutive defeats in all competitions when they travel to bitter rivals and fellow title contenders Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Arsene Wenger has come under severe criticism in recent weeks for the failure of his side to capitalize on the collapse of regular title contenders Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United in this year’s title race.

His side followed up a woeful performance at Old Trafford with another disappointing showing at home to Swansea City, which saw them fall six points behind leaders Leicester City in the title race.

SEE MORE: Preview of Spurs vs. Arsenal north London derby

On the other hand, Spurs were also beaten 1-0 at West Ham on Wednesday, which saw them miss out on the opportunity to go top of the table for the first time this season.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are three points ahead of their visitors coming into this match and they need to prove their title credentials by squeezing out the three points here as a defeat would place serious doubt on their ability to last the course.

KEY STAT: Tottenham have lost just once in the last seven league games against Arsenal at White Hart Lane (W4 D2 L1).

Team news

Petr Cech has been ruled out for the rest of the month, so David Ospina will be in goal for his first Premier League start this season. Laurent Koscielny is also out injured so we can expect Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista to be the center-back pairing despite shaky performances from the duo in recent times.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee), Tomas Rosicky (thigh), Jack Wilshere (calf) and Santi Cazorla (achilles) remain unavailable for selection due to injury.

Tottenham do not have too many injuries to worry about with Clinton N’Jie and Jan Vertonghen the only definite absentees. Mousa Dembele (groin) may be fit enough to make the bench while Dele Alli is also expected back in the starting XI after a substitute role in the last game.

Predicted lineups

Arsenal will be hoping to bounce back from a shock 3-2 loss away to Manchester United last Sunday when they play Swansea City on Wednesday (2:45pm ET on NBCSN).

The Gunners are now six points behind leaders Leicester City with 11 games to go but it doesn’t get any easier for them with tough fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona and an FA Cup replay at Hull City coming up within the next two weeks.

Arsene Wenger is expected to make a number of changes after so many players under-performed at Old Trafford so we can expect a much changed starting XI when the team sheets are released in the build-up to the game.

Swansea lost to Tottenham last Sunday, which saw them remain in 16th place just three points above the drop zone.

The Swans have a decent record against Arsenal with four wins and a draw from the last nine games between the sides. Two of those wins came at the Emirates Stadium, so they do have a history of beating Arsenal at home.

KEY STAT: Arsenal have failed to score in four of their last six matches in all competitions at the Emirates.

Team news

Olivier Giroud is expected to return to the starting XI after a shocking performance from Theo Walcott in the last game. Mohamed Elneny could also make his full Premier League debut ahead of Aaron Ramsey while Per Mertesacker should replace Gabriel in defense.

Swansea City have a fully-fit squad to select from coming into this game but manager Francesco Guidolin is expected to stick to the same XI that started against Spurs. Bafetimbi Gomis scored the winner in both games against the Gunners last season so he should come off the bench at some point.

Predicted lineups

Liverpool will be looking for revenge when they play Manchester City on Wednesday (3pm ET on NBCSN) at Anfield after losing the Capital One Cup final to the Citizens on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men fell behind early in the second half via Fernandinho’s goal but Philippe Coutinho equalized seven minutes from time to send the game into extra-time.

With the scores still level after 120 minutes, it was penalties that decided the affair. Willy Caballero was the hero for City after three penalty saves sealed the League Cup win for the second time in three seasons.

All attention will return to the Premier League on Wednesday as City aim to keep their title hopes alive after consecutive defeats in their last two league matches.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men desperately need a win against Liverpool to avoid falling farther behind in the title race or dropping out of the top four altogether which could spell disaster for City.

Liverpool on the other hand can drop into the bottom half of the table if they fail to win. The top four is all but gone for Klopp’s side will at least want to finish the season on a high note.

KEY STAT: Liverpool have won three and lost one of the last four meetings between the sides.

Team news

Manuel Pellegrini is expected to name an unchanged lineup to the side that started the Cup final at Wembley with the exception of Caballero who will make way for Joe Hart.

Mamadou Sakho is the only player expected to drop out of the starting XI for Liverpool after he was hauled off after sustaining a head injury in the last game and will be replaced by Kolo Toure. Martin Skrtel may be fit enough to return for the hosts but if he isn’t, Lucas will continue at center-back.

Predicted lineups

Chelsea will aim to continue their good run of form when they play relegation threatened Norwich at Carrow Road on Tuesday (2:45pm ET kickoff on Premier League Extra Time on US TV).

The Blues triumphed at Southampton last Saturday where a late winner from Branislav Ivanovic sealed the victory for Guus Hiddink’s men, their second consecutive league win for the first time this season.

Norwich, on the other hand, were unfortunate to concede a late goal at Leicester City, which condemned them to their 15th league defeat of the season.

The Canaries are placed 17th coming into this match and are only above Newcastle on goal difference but the Magpies have played a game less.

Chelsea have a good head-to-head record against Norwich with four wins and a draw in the last five matches between the sides so they will fully expect to be victorious but they need to be wary of sides fighting relegation as upsets are fairly common during this stage of the season. Regardless, it should be an entertaining game!

Team news

For Chelsea, John Terry is unlikely to be risked for this fixture while Pedro has been ruled out for at least a week so Oscar should be back in the starting XI. Guus Hiddink may stick with Kenedy at left-back after Baba Rahman failed to impress in the last match.

Norwich have only Andre Wisdom (knee) out of this one but Gary O’Neil will be available for selection after his suspension for the last game. Manager Alex Neil is expected to stick with the 5-4-1 formation with Cameron Jerome up top.

Predicted lineups

The first trophy of the season is up for grabs when Manchester City play Liverpool in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley on Sunday (live on beIN SPORTS and fuboTV at 11:30am ET on US TV).

The Citizens are going for a second League Cup trophy in three years while Liverpool are looking to add to the eight League Cup titles in their record books.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men have gone through a rough patch in recent times with successive home defeats against title rivals Leicester City and Tottenham, which condemned them to fourth place in the league before losing 5-1 at Chelsea last weekend in the FA Cup.

Pellegrini came under severe criticism when he fielded six U-21 players in the starting XI at Stamford Bridge last weekend but City’s 3-1 win at Dynamo Kiev in midweek justified his team selection in the FA Cup.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are looking to claim their first trophy in four years. The Reds have not really improved in the league since Jurgen Klopp took over and are eighth in the league table with 12 matches to go.

They are also out of the FA Cup but they managed to beat Augsburg over two legs to reach the Europa League round-of-16 stage where they will be facing arch rivals Manchester United.

SEE MORE: Liverpool vs. Manchester City League Cup final preview

Klopp will be hoping his side can replicate the form they showed in the 4-1 thrashing of City last November to claim his first silverware as Liverpool boss, something Brendan Rodgers never managed in three full seasons at the club.

Team news

Daniel Sturridge is fit to start the game on Sunday and he will lead the line for the Reds, with Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho his support cast. Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovern, Adam Lallana and Joe Allen all returned to training this week but they may not be deemed fit enough to start.

Manchester City is expected to keep the same starting XI that defeated Dynamo Kiev comfortably on Wednesday but Pablo Zabaleta may replace Bacary Sagna at right-back.

Predicted lineups

The main attraction in this weekend’s Premier League fixtures involves traditional heavyweights Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday (live Sunday at 9am ET on NBCSN in the USA).

The Red Devils will be looking for revenge after the Gunners thrashed them 3-0 in the first clash of the season in early October, which ended a run of eight league games without a win against United for Arsene Wenger’s men.

Louis van Gaal’s side have been decent enough in the big games at home this season with wins against Liverpool and Tottenham followed by 0-0 draws against Manchester City and Chelsea.

They will be hoping to close the gap on Manchester City, who are involved in the Capital One Cup, to three points but they can as well fall to seventh in the table if they lose and other results go against them.

Arsenal will be looking to bounce back from a 2-0 home defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League with a win that would keep the pressure firmly on leaders Leicester City.

Wenger’s side do not have a good record at Old Trafford with no wins and six defeats in their last eight games there but their victory earlier in the season may just spur them on to breaking that dreadful run.

Team news

Arsenal are expected to name an unchanged lineup to the side that lost in midweek with Olivier Giroud leading the line while Laurent Koscielny pairs with Per Mertesacker in a back four also comprising of Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal.

Mesut Ozil will be looking to add to his 17 assists while Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott take their place on either side of the German midfielder. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain picked up an injury against Barca and he will be unavailable for Sunday. Gabriel Paulista (hamstring) could start from the bench if he recovers in time for the game.

Manchester United on the other hand are top of the Premier League injury table with 14 players on the sidelines. Anthony Martial became the latest casualty during the week with a hamstring problem but he could recover in time to lead the attack in Wayne Rooney’s absence.

Chris Smalling (shoulder), Borthwick-Jackson (knock) and De Gea (knee) are all doubtful while Bastian Schweinsteiger, Phil Jones, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw and Adnan Januzaj are definitely out of this one.

Predicted lineups

Cheslea host Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round tie on Sunday knowing this is probably their best chance of winning any silverware this season (live on US TV on FOX Sports 2 from Sunday 11am ET).

The Blues have not been at their best this season by their standards but they still have a decent chance of finishing the campaign on a high if they manage success in the FA Cup or the Champions League.

They were beaten 2-1 in the first leg of their midweek Champions League tie at PSG but history has shown that 48% of the teams who have lost the first leg 2-1 away from home in the competition have gone on to progress, so that bodes well for Guus Hiddink’s men.

The FA Cup is probably the more realistic chance of success, so you can be sure Chelsea will field their strongest team for this fixture against a faltering City side who have seen their Premier League title charge go up in flames in recent weeks.

SEE MORE: Watch Chelsea vs. Manchester City for free with a 7-day trial to FOX Soccer 2GO.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men have lost back-to-back league matches against title contenders Leicester City and Tottenham, which has seen them drop to fourth in the table, six points behind the leaders Leicester.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Citizens. After this game, they travel to Russia to play Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League before playing in the Capital One Cup final against Liverpool, all in the space of a week.

The tough fixture schedule has prompted Pellegrini to suggest that he might field a weakened side for this game since the Champions League match and Capital One Cup final take priority over this fixture.

Team news

Hiddink confirmed in his press conference in Friday that only John Terry and Radamel Falcao are unavailable for selection. It remains to be seen if the Dutchman will persist with Eden Hazard in the starting XI after the Belgian put in another half-hearted performance in Paris on Tuesday.

City will likely rest a host of their regular starters such as Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany, amongst others. Teenage star Kelechi Iheanacho is likely to feature from the start as well as several other fringe players.

Predicted lineups

Manchester City will be looking to bounce back from the 3-1 home defeat to Leicester City last weekend when they play Tottenham in the final Premier League match of round 26.

The Citizens have not been very consistent recently with three wins, two draws and a defeat in their last six games which has seen them drop to fourth place on the table, six points behind league leaders Leicester City.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men have the best home record in the Premier League but they have not beaten any of the sides currently in the top six, something they will need to arrest on Sunday to avoid dropping farther down in the title race.

Tottenham Hotspur are on a good run of form with four league wins in a row since losing to Leicester in early January.

They have now established themselves as serious title contenders and will be looking to underline their credentials by getting a positive result at the Etihad.

Recent meetings between the sides have been dominated by Manchester City but Spurs thrashed the Citizens 4-1 in the first meeting of the season at White Hart Lane.

Team news

The big news for the Manchester City is that captain Vincent Kompany will make a return for this fixture alongside David Silva after both players made their return to full fitness during the week.

However, Kevin De Bruyne, Fabian Delph, Bacary Sagna and Jesus Navas remain on the sidelines.

For Tottenham, Dele Alli is likely to return to the starting XI after coming off the bench in the last match while Kevin Wimmer could partner Toby Alderweireld in defense with Jan Vertonghen still out injured.

Predicted lineups

The biggest game of the weekend will see Leicester City travel to the Emirates Stadium to play Arsenal on Sunday (7am ET kickoff in the United States on NBCSN).

The Foxes shocked the Premier League when they trounced Manchester City 3-1 last weekend away from home to establish themselves as the leading contenders for the title.

Claudio Ranieri’s men are five points clear at the top coming into this fixture and could increase the gap to at least six points if they manage a win here and Tottenham fail to beat Manchester City.

SEE MORE: It’s Tottenham that are the most under pressure on Super Sunday.

Their hosts, Arsenal, ended a four-match winless streak as they beat Bournemouth 2-0 away from home last Sunday which meant they moved up to third on the log.

Arsene Wenger’s men had earlier defeated Leicester 5-2 this season at the King Power Stadium in September and they will be hoping for a repeat performance in this crucial fixture.

A positive stat for the Gunners is that Claudio Ranieri has not managed to get the better of Wenger in eight league attempts, which bodes well for the Frenchman coming into this match.

Team news

With no new injuries to worry about, Wenger is likely to stick with the same starting XI that beat Bournemouth last week which means that Per Mertesacker will remain on the bench while Gabriel Paulista and Laurent Koscielny pair up at the heart of the defense.

Tomas Rosicky (thigh), Santi Cazorla (knee) and Jack Wilshere (calf) remain unavailable for selection due to injury.

Leicester are also likely to keep the same starting XI from the last game with Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki up top while N’golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez pull the strings from midfield. Jeff Schlupp (hamstring) and Matthew James (ACL) are the only players ruled out for the Foxes.

Predicted lineups

The threat of relegation may be gone but Chelsea continue to dwell in the bottom half of the table coming into this fixture.

The Blues have picked up only two league wins and six draws since Guus Hiddink took over which is not good enough for a club with top four aspirations.

Indeed, they are now a massive 17 points behind fourth-placed Manchester City which must mean that their top four hopes are all but gone for this season.

The last game saw a late goal by Diego Costa rescue a point against Manchester United but Kurt Zouma was unfortunate to have picked up a nasty injury which will see him miss the rest of the season.

Gary Cahill should replace Zouma in the Chelsea defense while Eden Hazard is expected to make the starting XI after coming off the bench in the last two matches.

Nemanja Matic is likely to be benched while Cesc Fabregas partners John Obi Mikel in midfield and Oscar returns to his preferred No. 10 role.

Newcastle United are finally out of the relegation zone after managing a 1-0 win at home to West Brom last weekend.

The Magpies are only a point above 18th-placed Norwich City so they will be desperate to cause an upset at Stamford Bridge come Saturday so that they won’t fall right back into the drop zone.

Steve McClaren must feel that his side has a real chance here after as Chelsea are winless in the last four league matches in front of their home supporters.

There are no new injury concerns for Newcastle which should see an almost identical starting XI to the side that beat West Brom last Saturday.

Daryl Janmaat and Jack Colback could make the squad after recovering from their respective injuries while Siem de Jong has been given a 50% chance of featuring.

Predicted Lineups

Sunderland welcome Manchester United to the Stadium of Light on Saturday as they continue to seek for points that will push them out of the bottom three.

Sam Allardyce’s men are four points away from safety after picking up a point in the 2-2 draw away at Liverpool last week which saw them remain 19th on the table.

The big news from the Sunderland camp this week is that winger Adam Johnson has been sacked with immediate effect after the Englishman pleaded guilty to grooming and sexual activity with a child.

Allardyce had earlier confirmed that Johnson will not play a part in this weekend’s game against United so the sacking shouldn’t disrupt match preparations too much.

Their visitors have no such calamities to worry about but Louis van Gaal’s position remains under intense scrutiny as Jose Mourinho’s shadow continues to loom over the Dutchman.

This week, the English media suggested that Mourinho to United was a “done deal” but in truth, it’s unlikely the club will make a decision on the manager before the end of the season.

The Red Devils posted a 1-1 draw away to Chelsea last Sunday to remain fifth on the Premier League table with six points separating them from fourth-placed Manchester City going into this weekend’s matches.

Team news

Sunderland striker Fabio Borini is in contention to feature in the matchday squad while the in-form Jermain Defoe may be partnered by new recruit Dame N’Doye in the attack.

Meanwhile, Younes Kaboul (foot), Adam Matthews (ankle) and Sebastian Larsson (knee) remain out injured.

Van Gaal on the other hand is likely to put out the same starting XI that played at Chelsea which means Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin will continue to warm the bench while skipper Wayne Rooney leads the attack.

Predicted lineups

Chelsea host Manchester United on Sunday with the Blues still looking for the points to climb into the top half of the table after an away draw to Watford in midweek.

Guus Hiddink’s side are still unbeaten since Jose Mourinho left the club last December but three wins and five draws from the last eight league games is hardly inspiring for a club of Chelsea’s stature.

The Blues strolled to a 5-1 win at MK Dons in last weekend’s FA Cup tie but could only muster a 0-0 result at Vicarage Road the following Wednesday which could have been worse after an atrocious first-half performance.

They must now turn their attention to Manchester United who were impressive at home to Stoke City, claiming a 3-0 win which got them back in contention for a Champions League spot. Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney and Jesse Lingard were on the scoresheet in that match and all three are expected to be in the starting XI for this fixture.

SEE MORE: Schedule of Premier League games on US TV and live streaming.

Manager Louis van Gaal remains under pressure despite that win especially with Jose Mourinho available and waiting but it’s unlikely the United hierarchy will part ways with the Dutchman before the end of the season.

The Red Devils have struggled against the Blues in recent years with no wins from the last nine meetings between the sides and only one win in 13 visits to Stamford Bridge but they can take heart from the Blue’s underwhelming performances at home this season with only one win from the last five league matches in front of their home supporters.

Team News

Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao will not play a part in this fixture according to Blues boss Hiddink. Alexandre Pato will also not be involved as he undergoes a special pre-season training to get back to full match fitness. Eden Hazard should return to the starting XI for this match while Nemanja Matic is expected to drop to the bench.

For the visitors, Luke Shaw, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia will miss out of this match, which means youngster Cameron Borthwick-Jackson will continue at left-back while Matteo Darmian retains his place at right-back. Lingard is also expected to keep his place in the side after a decent performance at home to Stoke.

Predicted Lineups

The first match of this weekend’s Premier League action sees title contenders Leicester City travel to Manchester City knowing that a win at the Etihad will see them go at least five points clear at the top of the table.

The Foxes have been the most consistent side all season and they have continued to prove their naysayers wrong with each passing game.

The 2-0 win against Liverpool last Tuesday extended their unbeaten run to six games since losing away to the Reds last December and they have only lost once on the road this season in the league.

Their next two fixtures away to City and Arsenal will scrutinize their title credentials but if they can come out of those two games unscathed, the belief among the players and supporters will soar and that may just push them to take charge of the title race until the end of the campaign.

Manchester City are still competing on four fronts this season and followed up a comprehensive trashing of Aston Villa last weekend with a narrow 0-1 win away to relegation threatened Sunderland.

Sergio Aguero was on the scoresheet at the Stadium of Light, netting his 12th goal in 10 league games which saw City gain two points on fellow title contenders Arsenal as the title race continues to heat up.

City have the best home record in the league and they could go top of the table with a win on Saturday due to their superior goal difference but they must be wary of an in-form Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, both of whom were influential in dismantling Liverpool in the previous round of fixtures.

Team News

Teenage sensation Kelechi Iheanacho is expected to return to the bench after starting last time out but Aguero will retain his place as the side’s target man.

Yaya Toure may start just behind Aguero with Raheem Sterling and David Silva alongside him while Fernando pairs up with Fernandinho at the center of midfield.

For Leicester, Claudio Ranieri has no fresh injury worries ahead of this game and he his expected to persist with the same starting XI that put Liverpool to the sword which means Vardy will be partnered by Shinji Okazaki in the attack.

Predicted Lineups

League leaders Arsenal host London rivals Chelsea on Sunday (11am ET on NBCSN and Telemundo in the US) as they aim to avenge a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge last September.

The Blues no longer have Jose Mourinho in the dugout which should be a pleasant sight for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal as they had an appalling 0.0% win percentage in league games against the Blues with the Portuguese manager in charge. Plus, Arsenal hasn’t scored a goal against Chelsea in league play in over 8 hours.

However, Guus Hiddink poses a huge threat as he was responsible for Arsenal’s biggest home defeat at the Emirates back in 2009 (a 4-1 trashing).

Chelsea have not lost to Arsenal in the league since 2011 and will be hoping to continue that impressive record here. They scrapped a 3-3 draw last weekend at home to Everton which saw them remain 14th on the table but they must put in an improved performance if they hope to get anything from the Emirates.

Arsenal are many people’s favorites to win the league this year and they have been able to live up to that tag so far by beating closest rivals Leicester City and Manchester City.

Beating Chelsea will further underline their title credentials but it’s not going to be easy for them as the Blues are looking much more resilient under Hiddink since he took over last month and they will likely adopt the same cautious strategy they used against Manchester United last month which resulted in a 0-0 draw.

Team News

The big news for Chelsea is that Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are set to start after recovering from various injuries.

Hazard should replace Pedro on the left, otherwise expect an unchanged starting XI from the side that drew against Everton last week.

For the hosts, Alexis Sanchez could be back in the side for this one after two months on the sidelines. Mesut Ozil should also be fit enough to start but Jack Wilshere remains out due to a calf problem.

Predicted Lineups

Southampton travel to Old Trafford on Saturday with the aim of upsetting Manchester United. The Saints have won two on the bounce since losing consecutive games at West Ham and Norwich and site 10th after 22 games.

Charlie Austin could make his debut for the visitors after completing his £4million move to St. Marys from Queens Park Rangers last weekend.

Manchester United, on the other hand, are unbeaten in the five matches and go into the weekend off the back of a 1-0 win at Liverpool last Sunday. The Red Devils managed only one shot on target in that game, but it was enough, as Wayne Rooney’s 78th minute goal United took maximum points at Anfield. The result moved Louis van Gaal’s men two points behind fourth-placed Spurs going into this weekend’s games.

Head-to-head, all time: Manchester United wins: 61; Southampton wins: 27; draws: 29.

SEE MORE: Aston Villa and Leicester draw 1 million viewers on NBC.

Team News

Adnan Januzaj could feature for the hosts after impressing for United’s U-21s in Monday. Bastian Schweinstiger and Michael Carrick are still sidelined, but Morgan Schneiderlin should be in the side to face his former club. Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones and Marcus Rojo are out of this game due to various injuries.

For Southampton, Gaston Ramirez and Florin Gardos are the only players confirmed to be out of the game, but new signing Charlie Austin could be in the starting XI come Saturday.

Predicted Lineups

Jurgen Klopp’s side travel to relegation threatened Norwich City in Saturday’s early kickoff.

The injury ravaged Reds were defeated 1-0 at home to Manchester United in their last league game which saw them remain in ninth place on the Premier League, eight points off the Champions League places. Their attacking deficiencies were glaring in that last game, as they couldn’t convert their chances despite having a whooping 19 shots on goal.

Norwich on the other hand dropped to 16th place after losing 3-0 to Bournemouth last Saturday. Alex Neil’s side have lost three of the last five matches and have conceded three goals in each of their last three games in all competitions ,highlighting serious defensive problems.

The Canaries have responded by signing defenders Timm Klose and Ivo Pinto from VFL Wolfsburg and Dinamo Zagrab, respectively, as well as Steven Naismith from Everton to help improve a poor goal return of 24 goals from 22 games.

Team News

Daniel Sturridge is back in training but he will not be fit enough to feature in this fixture, meaning Roberto Firmino will lead Liverpool’s line with Jordan Ibe and Adam Lallana operating alongside him in a three-man attack. Meanwhile, Dejan Lovren could be in contention to start after recovering from a hamstring problem, but Philippe Coutinho, Martin Skrtel and Divock Origi remain on the sidelines.

Norwich boss Neil does not have any injury issues to worry about and he may hand starting places to new signings Naismith, Pinto and Klose.

Predicted Lineups

Chelsea will look to overcome the disappointment of Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at home to West Brom when they host Everton on Saturday.

The Blues are unbeaten in six league games since the departure of Jose Mourinho but only three of those have been wins, with three draws in that time keeping them in 14th position in the Premier League table. Guus Hiddink’s men are now 12 points away from fourth spot and only six above the relegation zone, a position the Dutchman will surely want to improve on this weekend.

They face Everton, who have been very inconsistent this season, but the Toffees have a decent away record, with just one defeat in 10 away league games this season. They beat Chelsea 3-1 in teams’ first encounter this season.

Roberto Martinez will be looking to build on a 0-0 draw in the last game at Manchester City and try to take advantage of a leaky Chelsea defense to give his side their first win at the Champions since 1994 and propel them up the table.

Team News

Eden Hazard is likely to sit out of this one again with a groin injury, which means Pedro could continue in his place, hough Brazilian youngster Kenedy might get the nod after playing a part in Chelsea’s second goal against the Baggies. Otherwise expect an unchanged lineup from Chelsea, with Diego Costa up top while John Obi Mikel and Cesc Fabregas continue in midfield.

For the visitors, Martinez is likely to name the same starting XI that secured a point at City. John Stones should continue at right back with Seamus Coleman still sidelined while Romelu Lukaku will hope to add to his 15-goal tally this season against his former club.

Predicted Lineups

The Reds have been very inconsistent under Jurgen Klopp and drew on Friday away to lowly Exeter City in the FA Cup, adding a replay fixture to an already packed January schedule, much to Klopp’s displeasure. Liverpool are also hit with many injuries which has stalled their top-four challenge,  but there are still only six points separating them from fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal on the other hand are in good form and followed up a scrappy 1-0 against Newcastle with a 3-1 win over struggling Sunderland at the weekend. The Gunners have not been too convincing in away games recently, with their last win away from home coming October at Aston Villa. They were walloped 4-0 at Southampton in their previous away league match.

Nevertheless, Arsene Wenger’s men remain the favorites to come away with all three points come Wednesday against an inconsistent and injury-hit Liverpool side.

Team News

Liverpool are without at least 11 players coming into this game, with Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren, Daniel Sturridge, Phillippe Coutinho, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez, Jon Flanagan, Divock Origi, Jordan Henderson, Jordon Ibe and Jordan Rossiter all ruled out of this fixture. Kolo Toure should be fit enough to make the starting XI, but fellow central defender Mamadou Sakho is doubtful.

Arsenal also have a couple of injury worries with Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck, Francis Coquelin, Santi Carzola and Jack Wilshere all sidelined. Mesut Ozil and Mathieu Flamini will be available for selection, but Alexis Sanchez remains out as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem.

Predicted Lineups

The Blues claimed their first league win under the Dutchman away to Crystal Palace on Jan. 2. They followed that up with a win at home this weekend in the FA Cup against Scunthorpe United. Chelsea now have the chance to win consecutive league games for the first time this season , something which should boost their confidence with games against Arsenal and Manchester United coming up soon.

West Brom are in no immediate danger of relegation but will be looking to climb the Premier League table when they travel to West London on Wednesday. The Baggies only managed a last minute equalizer to secure a replay against Championship side Bristol City in the FA Cup, but they will take confidence from their league form, which has been encouraging of late wins against Newcastle United and Stoke City.

With Chelsea looking like they’re back in business, it’s going to be harder to take points off them, but Tony Pulis’ can draw inspiration from Bournemouth’s 1-0 shock win over the Blues at Stamford Bridge last month.

Team Needs

An injured Eden Hazard is unlikely to be risked for this fixture, which means Willian, Pedro and Oscar will take their usual positions behind the striker. Diego Costa will undergo a late fitness test to determine his availability, but Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao remain out. Thibaut Courtois should be back in the side after sitting out of the FA Cup tie, while John Terry and John Obi Mikel should replace Gary Cahill and Ramires, respectively.

West Brom do not have many injuries to worry about, with Jonas Olsson and Victor Anichebe the only doubts. Salomon Rondon is also available for selection after serving a suspension.

Predicted Lineups

The hosts are in a relegation battle, two points away from safety and have lost their last three league games, although performances have improved in recent weeks.

Manchester United, on the other hand managed, a scrappy 2-1 win over Swansea in their last league match but followed that up with an uninspiring home win in the FA Cup against Sheffield United.

Louis van Gaal is still very much under pressure to improve his side’s performances, with club sponsor Adidas admitting that they have concerns over the Dutchman’s style of play.

It has been suggested in recent reports in the English media that the United hierarchy may decide to sack Van Gaal if United fail to beat Newcastle or arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Team News

Newcastle have 14 players out injured or doubtful for the next match, which is the most in the Premier League.

Vurnon Anita, Papiss Cisse, Steven Taylor, Gabriel Obertan, Massadio Haidara and Tim Krul are out of this game, but Emmanuel Riviere, Jack Colback, Fabricio Coloccini and Rolando Aarons are pushing for inclusion in the starting XI.

Manchester United also have several injury concerns, with Bastien Schweinstiger, Phil Jones, Marcus Rojo, Nick Powell and Antonio Valencia all ruled out.

Juan Mata may be replaced by Memphis Depay in the starting lineup after another poor performance in the FA Cup, but Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney should retain their places upfront.

Predicted Lineups

High-flying Crystal Palace host Chelsea at Selhurst Park on Sunday as they aim to continue their good run of form and pile more misery on their visitors.

Alan Pardew’s men are in fifth place with 31 points and are surely looking to break into the top four at some point given the inconsistency of the teams above them.

However, they face a tough challenge against the Blues who are desperately in need of points to avoid dropping into the relegation zone.

Chelsea have drawn the first two games under Guus Hiddink and they will be hoping to grind out a win somehow to get their campaign back on track.

The previous meeting between the sides this season ended 1-2 in favor of Crystal Palace with Joel Ward scoring the winner to hand the Eagles all three points.

KEY STAT: Chelsea are winless in the last seven away games (L4 D3) with only one win away from home this season (3-2 at West Brom).

Team News

Diego Costa should be back in the Chelsea lineup after serving his one game suspension against Manchester United but Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao are both still nursing injuries. Cesc Fabregas could return to the lineup but Gary Cahill remains doubtful.

Crystal Palace have a few of their key players on the injury table with Connor Wickham, Yannick Bolasie, Damien Delaney and Dwight Gayle all ruled out of this fixture.

Predicted Lineups

Manchester United desperately need a win against Swansea City when both sides clash at Old Trafford on Saturday after going six league games without winning.

The Red Devils only scored three goals in that period and lost three consecutive games before managing a scrappy 0-0 draw against Chelsea on Monday.

The poor run of form has heaped so much pressure on Louis van Gaal in recent weeks that the Dutchman walked out of the press conference before the Stoke defeat after a five minute rant about how the English media were being unfair to him.

The 64-year-old needs a win and convincing performance from his players come Saturday as anything other than that may well spell the end of his tenure at Old Trafford.

Swansea City on the other hand are in a really poor state with just one win from their last nine matches which sees them in 17th place, just two points above the relegation places.

The Swans have been unable to find a permanent manager since Garry Monk was sacked which will see Alan Curtis take charge of this fixture.

The only positive thing for the Welsh side coming into this match is that they have a decent recent record against United with four wins in the last five games between the sides (all competitions).

Team News

Louis van Gaal is likely to name an unchanged starting XI from the one that drew 0-0 with Chelsea on Monday which means Memphis Depay will start from the bench once more. Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo, Antonio Valencia and Jesse Lingard remain sidelined.

For the visitors, Wayne Routledge should be in the squad for this one after missing the last game due to injury. Federico Fernandez could also return to the lineup along with Andre Ayew, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Ki Sung-yueng.

Predicted Lineup

Arsenal host Newcastle United at the Emirates on Saturday in what is an important game for both sides for very different reasons.

The hosts are top of the league (on goal difference) and they will be looking to consolidate that lead by beating Newcastle United and hoping Leicester City drop points against Bournemouth.

The Gunners comfortably defeated Bournemouth on Monday to bounce back from a 4-0 loss at Southampton the previous Saturday, and are now poised to take all three points but they need to be wary of their visitors who are desperate for points to climb out of the relegation zone.

The Magpies have lost their last two matches and are placed 18th on the table with 17 points after the first half of the season. Steve McClaren will be hoping his side can shake off the last defeat at West Brom and pull off an upset at the Emirates come Saturday just like West Ham did on the opening day.

Previous meetings will make for a grim reading for the 54-year-old though with Newcastle having lost the last eight league games between the sides.

Team News

Arsene Wenger rested some of his key players against Bournemouth but we could see most of the lot back in the side by the time the team sheets are released.

Laurent Koscielny should return to partner Per Mertesacker in defense while Nacho Monreal and Joel Campbell could also make their return to the starting XI. Alexis Sanchez is unlikely to be risked for this fixture.

Newcastle United are riddled with injuries with 11 players ruled out of Saturday’s fixture.

Cheick Tiote should replace Vurnon Anita in the Magpies midfield after the Dutchman picked up a hamstring injury in the last match while Rob Elliot could also return to the lineup if he manages to overcome his illness in time.

Predicted Lineup

High-flying Arsenal travel to St Mary’s on Boxing day as they attempt to build on their 2-1 win over Manchester City last Monday.

The Gunners underlined their title credentials by defeating City and are now unbeaten in their last six matches after a bit of a wobble in early November.

Coming into this game, Arsenal have a decent record against Southampton with only one loss in their last 11 Premier League meetings. The Gunners are also the best away side in the league this year with 38 points picked up on their travels.

Add to that the fact that they have just one loss ever on Boxing Day and 12 wins, they will definitely be the favorites to beat a Southampton side in very poor form.

The Saints are winless in the last five league games with only two goals scored in that period which has seen them fall to 12th on the log, just six points above the relegation zone.

However, Ronald Koeman’s men are unbeaten at home against Arsenal in the last four meetings and will be looking to pick up successive league wins against the Gunners after a 2-0 win back in January.

Team News

The Gunners are still without several of their key players including Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck Francis Coquelin, Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Santi Cazorla.

As a result, Arsene Wenger is likely to field the same starting XI that defeated Manchester City on Monday.

For Southampton, they are without Jay Rodriguez and Fraser Forster for this fixture. But Maarten Stekelenburg should be back in the starting XI after recovering from a toe problem.

Predicted Lineups

Premier League leaders Leicester City travel to Liverpool on Saturday as they aim to continue their impressive run of form this season which has seen them lose just once this season.

The Foxes have been the most consistent and efficient side this season and are now seemingly well placed to make a serious title challenge this season, much to the surprise of everyone.

It will make a most remarkable rags to riches story keeping in mind that this time last year, the Foxes were bottom of the table and looked doomed to be relegated.

On the other hand, Liverpool are still courting mediocrity under new manager Jurgen Klopp with only 12 points in nine games and are placed 9th on the table coming into this match.

The Reds were trounced 3-0 at Watford in their last match after yet another disappointing performance which made the team’s dismantling of Manchester City appear like ages ago.

Crucially though, the Reds are still within sights of a top four finish and are just five points adrift of fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur so they could close the gap if they manage to beat Claudio Ranieri’s men and other result go their way.

Team News

Liverpool are missing a host of players due to injury with Daniel Sturridge, James Milner, Danny Ings, Martin Skrtel and Jon Flanagan all ruled out of this match.

Simon Mignolet should be back in the starting XI after missing the Watford game with a hamstring injury. Jordan Ibe is also expected to replace Roberto Firmino upfront after the Brazilian’s woeful performances in the last few matches.

For Leicester City, Jamie Vardy is a slight doubt but Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante are fit and sure to start the game on Saturday. Robert Huth is also back from suspension and he will be expected to partner with Wes Morgan at center back.

Predicted Lineups

Chelsea will be hoping to continue their good run of form when they play Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in Saturday’s late game.

The Blues have won two and drawn one of their last three games in all competitions after losing three of the previous four, restoring some belief that they can rescue their season.

Jose Mourinho’s men have some winnable games on the horizon with Leicester City, Watford and Sunderland among their next opponents, so a win  could set the tone for what is to come in the next few matches.

SEE MORE: Courtois back in the squad for Chelsea’s visit from Bournemouth.

Bournemouth on the other hand are winless since beating Sunderland 2-0 in September. The Cherries are 18th, two points away from safety and they will be looking to cause an upset when they travel to West London.

Manager Eddie Howe will be hoping his side can display some of the resilience they showed in the last game as Junior Stanislas scored a late equalizer to ensure a share of the spoils at home to Everton.

However, they will be coming up against a Chelsea side with a point to prove in front of their home fans with makes the task a whole lot more difficult for the visitors.

Key Stat: Bournemouth have conceded 18 goals in their last six matches

Team News

John Terry faces his second week on the sidelines as he continues to recover from an ankle problem, but Thibaut Courtois has fully recovered from a knee injury and could make his long-awaited return to the side for the first time since the opening game of the season.

Mourinho has to decide whether to persist with Eden Hazard upfront or bring back Diego Costa to the team after leaving the Spanish International out of the Tottenham game last week. Loic Remy is also available for selection.

For Bournemouth, Howe is without a host of players for this fixture as Artur Boruc, Marc Pugh, Adam Federici and Harry Arter are all doubts due to injury. Christian Atsu is also unavailable as per his loan agreement.

Predicted Lineups

Chelsea take the short trip to North London where they face high-flying Tottenham Hotspur in what is a crucial fixture for both sides (live on Sunday at 7am ET on the USA Network in the USA).

With only four points separating Spurs from league leaders Leicester City, Sunday’s fixture represents a great opportunity for Mauricio Pochettino’s men to stake a claim in the title race if results go their way in the other games.

The hosts have not lost since the opening day of the season and they will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to 13 games if they can at least avoid defeat against the Blues.

Chelsea have enjoyed some respite after a disastrous start to the season with back-to-back wins against Norwich and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which should help the team’s confidence coming into this fixture.

Jose Mourinho will not have forgotten the 5-3 defeat they suffered at White Hart Lane on New Year’s day, and he will be hoping that his side can frustrate the attacking threat of in-form striker Harry Kane who netted a brace in that last league meeting between the sides.

KEY STAT: Chelsea have won just once in the last nine trips to White Hart Lane.

Team News

John Terry is unlikely to play a part on Sunday after being carried off the field with an ankle injury against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Ramires is also struggling with a muscle problem but Mourinho should have the rest of his first team players bar Thibaut Courtois available for selection.

Pochettino will be without this season’s revelation Dele Alli who serves a one-match ban after picking up five bookings, which could see Erik Lamela return to the side.

Predicted Lineups

The big Premier League match this weekend involves league leaders Manchester City in action against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday (live on NBC at 12:30pm ET for viewers in the United States).

The Citizens have enjoyed a near perfect season so far and they are top of the table, level on points with Arsenal but have a better goal difference than the Gunners.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men are unbeaten at home against the Reds since the 2008/09 season and will be looking to continue in that vein come Saturday afternoon.

Liverpool will be looking to bounce back from the 1-2 loss at home to Crystal Palace last time out which was the first league defeat of the Jurgen Klopp era.

SEE MORE: Top 5 must-see soccer games on TV this weekend.

The German manager was less than impressed with the some of the Liverpool supporters in that defeat after they left the stadium early following Palace’s 81st minute goal.

There must be a marked improvement from the Liverpool players in every area of the field if they hope to come out of this one with a morale-boosting result with a busy period of fixtures on the horizon.

KEY STAT – Manchester City have won 12 of the last 13 home matches.

Team News

The big news for Liverpool is that Daniel Sturridge is now available for selection after returning to full training recently. James Milner is also in contention to face his former club but Jon Flanagan, Jordan Henderson and Mamadou Sakho are sidelined.

For City, the game comes too soon for Sergio Aguero (hamstring) and David Silva (foot) but Vincent Kompany should be able to feature despite picking up a knock while on international duty. Samir Nasri is also reported to be out until February with a hamstring injury while Fabian Delph, Wilfried Bony and Pablo Zabaleta are all doubtful.

Predicted Lineups

Arsenal will hope to bounce back from their 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich when they play Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates on Sunday (11am ET kickoff on NBCSN in the United States).

The Gunners were absolutely shambolic in that midweek Champions League fixture and the result almost certainly means that they will miss out on qualification to the round of 16 stage for the first time in 16 years.

That aside, their Premier League form is very good with five wins on the bounce and only two losses in 11 games.

Arsenal have already beaten Tottenham this season in the Capital One Cup third round where Mathieu Flamini’s double was enough to separate the two sides after 90 minutes.

Spurs come into this match on a fine run of their own. They haven’t lost since the opening day of the season and have won five of the last seven league games.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men have got their eyes firmly fixed on Champions League qualification and this may be their best chance in years with Chelsea showing no sign of recovery from their slump so far.

Beating Arsenal will close the gap between the sides to just two points and firmly put them in the spotlight as far as the race to reach the top four goes.

Team News

Arsenal have been hit with a number of injuries to key players recently. It is unclear if Laurent Koscielny will be available for this one after struggling with a hip problem, but David Ospina should be back in the squad after a shoulder injury.

Hector Bellerin, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Danny Welbeck all remain sidelined.

Tottenham’s injury problems are not as dramatic so they should be able to put out a strong side come Sunday.

Danny Rose, Nabil Bentaleb and Clinton N’jie are slight doubts but Son Heung-min could be back in the side after facing six weeks on the sidelines.

Predicted Lineups

Stoke City host Chelsea at the Britannia Stadium in Saturday’s late fixture with the visitors looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League after losing back-to-back games against West Ham United and Liverpool.

The Blues relieved some of the pressure on their manager Jose Mourinho with Willian’s late free kick securing the win for Chelsea in the midweek Champions League tie at home to Dynamo Kiev.

But Mourinho will not be in the dugout – or even the stadium for that matter – for this one as he serves his one match stadium ban effected by the FA on Monday.

Mark Hughes’ side are another team that have not lived up to expectations this season despite what many people tagged an impressive summer transfer window for the club.

The Potters are placed 14th, just a place above Chelsea with 13 points from 11 games and a -3 goal difference to show for their troubles.

However, they have already beaten Chelsea once this season, on penalties, in their Capital One Cup fourth round encounter just over a week ago which makes the tie all the more tricky for the league’s reigning Champions.

KEY STAT: Chelsea have lost six times this season in 11 games. That’s three more than they did throughout the whole of 2014/15.

Team News

Chelsea are without the services of Radamel Falcao who picked up a muscular injury earlier in the week. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is still injured but Branislav Ivanovic could return to the Chelsea lineup after returning to training in midweek.

Stoke City on the other hand, have no new injury worries but Shay Given (knee), Marc Muniesa (hamstring) and Geoff Cameron (thigh) are all sidelined for this one.

It’s been a testing time in recent weeks for Manchester United with inconsistent and largely unconvincing performances. Yet, the 3-0 win away to Everton was their only success in the last five games.

They lost on penalties to Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday and again came under severe criticism for another lackluster display that followed the drab Manchester derby last weekend.

Louis van Gaal really needs to get it right with his team selection as Manchester United have got too much quality in their squad to be playing the way they have so far this season.

The fans will be hoping for a win here and an entertaining match to compensate for the underwhelming performances of recent weeks.

Crystal Palace are not in great form at the moment with three defeats on the bounce and will be looking to recover from a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City in midweek.

The Eagles are seventh in the table and could go within two points of their visitors if they manage a win at Selhurst Park come Saturday.

KEY STAT: Manchester United have lost just once to Crystal Palace in the last 18 matches. (W14 D3).

Team News

A host of first team players are missing for the hosts with Connor Wickham, Marouane Chamakh, Pape Souare and Kwesi Appiah the definite absentees.

Yannick Bolasie (knock), Yohan Cabaye (knock), and Jason Puncheon (illness) are doubtful but all three have been tipped to start on Saturday.

For Manchester United, Paddy McNair, Antonio Valencia and James Wilson are expected to sit out of this one. Wayne Rooney will likely lead the Red Devils’ attack while Anthony Martial plays from the left wing.

Predicted Lineups

Chelsea host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in the first Premier League game this weekend (Saturday, 8:45am ET on NBCSN in the US) as they look to bounce back from back to back defeats at the hands of West Ham United in the league and Stoke City in the Capital One Cup.

Needless to say, Jose Mourinho is under a lot of pressure at the moment and he simple has to win this one or it may just be the end of The Special One’s tenure at Chelsea.

With five defeats in the opening 10 Premier League matches, there is simply no way the Blues can allow this poor run of form to continue if they hope to make the top four at the end of the season, so a win here should be the priority on the minds of the Chelsea players.

For the visitors, Jurgen Klopp hasn’t had the best start to life in the Premier League after successive draws in the league.

However, the major problem for the Reds remains their lack of spark in the final third with the 3-2 victory over Aston Villa being the only occasion where Liverpool scored more than one goal in a game this season.

KEY STAT: Chelsea are unbeaten against Liverpool in the last eight matches in all competitions.

Team News

Chelsea will have to do without star striker Diego Costa who came off with a rib injury in the midweek tie at the Britannia, which means either Loic Remy or Radamel Falcao will lead the line for the Blues.

Branislav Ivanovic is still sidelined with a hamstring injury so Kurt Zouma may continue at the right side of the defense. Pedro Rodriguez and Thibaut Courtois are the other absentees for the hosts.

Liverpool will make do without the services of Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge, both of whom nurse knee injuries so Divock Origi should be the top striker for the Reds come Saturday.

Captain Jordan Henderson is also out while long-term absentee Jon Flanagan is ruled out of action until December.

Predicted Lineups

Jurgen Klopp will make his Premier League Anfield league bow on Sunday as Liverpool welcome Southampton in the final game this weekend. He will be hoping to give the fans something to cheer after a disappointing home debut in Thursday’s Europa League fixture against Rubin Kazan.

The Reds have drawn the first two games of the Klopp era and will be looking to grab their first win at home since beating Aston Villa 3-2 in September.

Meanwhile, Southampton squandered a two goal advantage last week to draw 2-2 against Leicester City, which halted a run of three straight wins in all competitions.

The Saints are level on points with Liverpool after nine games but are two places above their hosts due to a superior goal difference.

Manager Ronald Koeman will be hoping his side can replicate their impressive showing against Chelsea in their last away game and dismantle a fragile Liverpool defense come Sunday.

KEY STAT – Liverpool have won the last three meetings between the sides.

Team News

Klopp will have to make do without the services of Danny Ings (knee), Jordan Henderson (metatarsal fracture), Jon Flanagan (knee) and Joe Gomez (ACL). Daniel Sturridge is a doubt but Christian Benteke should be back in the starting XI for this one.

Shane Long (foot), Maarten Stekelenburg (back) and Fraser Forster (knee) are the major injury worries for Southampton but they have Saido Mane, and if fit, will be their key man to watch in this fixture.

Predicted Lineups

One of the biggest derbies in the Premier League takes center stage on Sunday as Manchester United take on Manchester City at Old Trafford (10am ET kickoff on NBCSN for viewers in the United States).

The Red Devils were trounced 3-0 by Arsenal just before the last international break but bounced back to defeat Everton 3-0 last week and managed to grab a point away to CSKA Moscow in their midweek Champions League tie.

Manager Louis van Gaal has come under criticism for some of his selection choices in recent matches such as pairing Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger against Arsenal and now sticking Anthony Martial on the wings instead of playing him through the middle.

But he simply cannot afford to make any team selection mistakes here or we could see a repeat of that embarrassing game at the Emirates Stadium or worse with City scoring goals for fun in their last two games.

Before this weekend, Manuel Pellegrini’s men were top of the table with two points ahead of Arsenal and United but could extend that gap to up to five points if they beat United and other results go their way.

The visitors are in good shape after coming from behind to beat Sevilla in their Champions League tie and will be looking to avenge their 4-2 loss at Old Trafford last April.

With Sergio Aguero and David Silva doubtful, it will be up to last week’s hat trick hero Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Bony to step up again. City have enough strength in-depth and should be able to put out a decent enough lineup come Sunday morning US time.

KEY STAT: Manchester United have lost four of the last five matches between the sides.

Team News

Manuel Pellegrini will be missing the services of Aguero (hamstring) and Silva (ankle) as well as Gael Clichy (foot), Samir Nasri (hamstring) and Fabian Delph (hamstring). However, Vincent Kompany should be back in the side for this one.

The Chilean is expected to stick with the most of the same starting lineup that defeated Bournemouth 5-1 last week with Wilfried Bony up top and Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Jesus Navas just behind him.

For United, they have no new injury worries with Ashley Young (calf) and Luke Shaw (broken leg) the only absentees which means we may see the same starting XI that defeated Everton last weekend.

Predicted Lineups

Arsenal will be in very high spirits when they play Everton at the Emirates on Saturday (12:30pm ET kickoff, live on the NBC network in the United States).

The Gunners have won their last three matches since losing at home to Olympiacos 3-2 in the UEFA Champions League including convincing wins over Manchester United and Bayern Munich, which eased the pressure on Arsene Wenger.

They have kept a clean sheet in all those games with the defense now resembling that of a title winning squad, and they will be hoping to grab all three points again on Saturday to keep the pressure firmly on title favorites Manchester City who play later on Sunday.

Everton, on the other hand, were trounced 3-0 in their last league match, which halted a run of seven games unbeaten in all competitions.

The Toffees will hope to pick themselves back up very quickly but they face an Arsenal side who have been their bogey side for the last 15 years at least with the Merseyside club winning just five times against the North London club in that period.

KEY STAT: Everton have won none of their last 21 away matches against Arsenal in all competitions (D4 L17).

Team News

Arsene Wenger will likely stick with most of the guys that started their midweek UEFA Champions League tie but Olivier Giroud may be restored to lead the attack in Theo Walcott’s place while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will replace the injured Aaron Ramsey.

Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil should take their places as usual behind the main striker while Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla remain the central midfield pairing.

Everton are missing the services of Leighton Baines, Tony Hibbert, Steven Pienaar, Tom Cleverley and Mohammed Besic who remain on the sidelines with various injuries.

Romelu Lukaku will lead the attack once again for the Toffees while John Stones and Phil Jagielka will be the center-back partnership with Gareth Barry and James McCarthy paired just in front of the back four.

Predicted Lineups

Liverpool travel to North London for the first time this season as they take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Monday (3pm ET on NBCSN for viewers in the US).

The Reds have picked up maximum points from the first two matches away to Stoke City and then against Bournemouth at Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers’ men are three points ahead of their hosts and they will hope to increase or at least maintain that lead after 90 minutes.

Christian Benteke opened his account for the club in the last match and that should give him confidence coming into this match. Building momentum is key for Liverpool with potentially tougher away games to negotiate in the coming weeks.

Arsenal have not had the dream start many were predicting and managed to see off Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park after Alexis Sanchez scored the winner in the second half.

With their first home game this season ending in a disaster, the Gunners will want to please the home supporters this time around and continue the impressive record they have over Liverpool in recent years.

The last meeting between the sides ended 4-1 in favor of Arsenal last April with Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud getting on the scoresheet, while Jordan Henderson got the only goal for Liverpool.

Key Stat: Arsenal have lost just one of the last eight matches between the sides.

Team News 

Arsenal are without injured trio of Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky but otherwise do not have any fresh injury concerns and should retain the starting XI from the last match.

Emre Can may make his first start of the season in midfield as he’s likely to replace Henderson who is doubtful with a foot injury. Daniel Sturridge, Joe Allen and Jon Flanagan are all ruled out as well.

Predicted Lineups